Match prediction for Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Match 1 in Kolkata.
The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to kick off with a clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and the reigning champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on March 22. The IPL 2025 opener will take place at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, with the action to begin at 7:30 PM IST.
Check out our analysis for the KKR vs RCB match with the top betting tips and predictions.
Here are some of the best bets for this Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL match.
Varun Chakravarthy is in the form of his life and will be a huge threat to RCB in this match. He can make an impact on any kind of surface. You can expect him to pick up at least one wicket in this game.
KKR boasts of a much better spin attack which could be decisive in this game on a flat pitch. They also boast of a strong batting unit. KKR have won four of the last five encounters and should win this game.
Last season witnessed high-scoring matches at Eden Gardens. Both these teams have some hard hitters and we should see plenty of sixes flying around.
Eden Gardens in Kolkata has been an outstanding venue for batting in recent years. Pitches are generally flat with bowlers getting no assistance. The average first innings at this ground in the previous IPL season was 198 from seven games. Expect similar scores in this game.
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RCB and KKR have faced each other 35 times over the years, with the latter leading the record. The Knight Riders have won 21 matches whereas Bengaluru have come out on top 14 times. KKR hold the upper hand in the recent past as well, winning four of the last five games.
Kolkata Knight Riders had an incredible season last year, where they lost only three games. They defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 1 and the final to clinch their third IPL title. They retained their core ahead of the mega auction and have brought in the likes of Quinton de Kock, Anrich Nortje, and Ajinkya Rahane. Rahane will be leading the side while KKR have to choose between Nortje and Spencer Johnson for the final overseas spot.
Possible XI: Sunil Narine, Quinton de Kock (wk), Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Anrich Nortje, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy.
RCB had a disastrous first half last year, where they lost seven of the eight games and were on the verge of getting knocked out. However, they had a remarkable turnaround, winning the next six games to reach the playoffs. But RCB couldn’t get past Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator. They also have a new captain in IPL 2025, with Rajat Patidar taking the reins. They have to take several calls to finalise their playing XI. Phil Salt, Liam Livingstone, Tim David, and Josh Hazlewood are likely to be their four overseas starters.
Possible XI: Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar (c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal.
Check out the details of where to watch the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL match.
Four out of seven games played here last season were won by the chasing teams. Flat pitches make defending the target a tough job. Expect the team winning the toss to field first.
Take a look at the weather forecast, key matchup, and favourites to get a better idea of the match.
The weather for this game could be a concern with a possibility of rain in Kolkata on Saturday evening. It is likely to be mostly cloudy with a 62% chance of precipitation. There will be high humidity at around 78% while the wind gusts travel at up to 32 kmph. As for the temperature, it should range between 20 to 26 degrees Celsius.
As per the betting markets, KKR are favourites to win this match, with a 54% chance of winning.
Virat Kohli has struggled to score at a good rate against Sunil Narine in the shorter format. He has scored 162 runs in 156 deliveries while getting dismissed four times.
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